Hillwalk Scotland

Political Debate on Outdoor and Energy Issues

Oneof the big issues facing the Scottish Executive is the controversy over onshore wind farms and the building of transmission lines through the Cairngorm National Park. The subjects have been raised at severalof the Scoottish Votepod debates that have been taking place throughout Scotland in the run up to the elections for the Scottish Parliament.

if you want to listen to clips of the debates or view video highlights you should click through to the Cairngorm Debate and to the Energy debate. Davie Black, the wildlands officer of the Ramblers Association features in Section 2 of the Energy Debate. Have a listen, it may help you decide how to vote.

Films and Photos Wanted for Festival

The Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival is calling for amateur and professional filmmakers to enter its film competition before the deadline of June 39th. They are also looking for photo submissions. Details of the film competition here and details of the photo competition here. There are cash prizes in both cases. The Festival takes place 19-21 October 2007.

Just to give you a flavour of the Festival, here's a trailer for last years Festival on You Tube. It's called Fisherfield and it's well worth watching.

Scottish Election - Hillwalking Issues

The Ramblers Association have launched a campaign ahead of elections to the Scottish Parliament on May3rd.

They've published a Manifesto which they will lobby the politicians about. The key issues identified are energy, National Parks and access.

Quite separately there are opportunities to quiz the politicians at a couple of major events in April which are part of the Scottish Votepods project. There is a big environmental event at the Hub in Edinburgh on April 17th which several of the Party leaders have agreed to take part. If you can't be there you can submit questions to Scottish Votepods for inclusion on the night.

They also have a debate planned for Aviemore on April 20th. The Big Cairngorm Debate will provide a great opportunity to quiz the politicians directly on outdoor subjects. I'll update on this when full details are known.

Crash Site

I've written before about the number of aircraft crash sites in the Scottish mountains. There's a surprisingly high number of them and when I come across these sites I always like to find out a little more about what happened.
I recently came across this article on Walk Scotland which tells the story of a SuperFortress that crashed in the hills above Loch Goil in 1949 kiling 20 men. I wasn't aware of this tragedy before and the article provides lots of information. If you've come across this wreckage on a walk and would like to know more, have a look.

Mountains of Scotland You Tube Video

I was having a surf on You Tube and came across this video of the Mountains of Scotland. Produced by bigwallypants It's set to a Gaelic song by Runrig - An ubhal as airde (The Highest Apple). If like me you're stuck at home wishing you could get away to the hills, have a look - it'll help take you there, at least for a few minutes. Its also good fun trying to work out what the mountains are.

Bargain Outdoor Clothing

If anyone is looking for some new gear, I suggest you head down to your nearest Blacks store asap. They've got a very good sale on - lots of high quality stuff and up to 70% off in some instances. I just bought a Berghaus Atlas Windstopper fleece reduced from £120 to £38 and a nifty Columbia Half-Zip fleece sweater for £10 reduced from £25. Excellent value. Mind you, I hadn't gone out with the intention of buying anything. So did I save £97 or simply spend £48 I didn't need to???

Wainwright on TV

It's not often there are programmes on TV specifically of interest to hillwalkers. Well at last there's something to look forward to on BBC4 over the next few weeks.
On Sunday 24th February at 8.00 there's a documentary on Alfred Wainwright - 'The Man Who Loved the Lakes'. And on Monday at 8.30 there is the first of four 'Wainwright Walks', the first to the summit of Haystacks which was his favourite Fell. The programmes mark the centeneary of his birth.
I don't know how well known he is to younger hillwalkers but his story and the pictorial guides he wrote should make a fascinating story. His love of the Lakes were written up by hand together with sketches of the walks he undertook.His guide books were for many years the principal guides to Englands highest hills.
I just hope I remember to watch them or set the video!

Using an Ice Axe - Video

There seems to be more and more video of interest to hillwalkers appearing on You Tube. The magazine Country Life now has a section. Its readers must be a fit bunch as the videos are mostly get fit advice!
There is also an excellent video demonstrating how to do an ice axe arrest. It's beeen reproduced by permission from the British Mountaineering Council's 'Winter Essentials' DVD, so it's authoritative. The code allowing people like myself to embed it in their blog is also made available. So if you think you might still get an opportunity to get out in winter conditions it's worth having a look (go on, even if you're experienced it's always worth reminding yourself of best practice).

Scots Involved in Extreme Mountain Challenges

BBC News Online appears to be running a short series of extreme mountain features involving Scottish climbers. So here are some links to some weekend reading.
The first tells the story of Pauline Sanderson, from Strathspey. She was part of a team which completed the world's longest climb last year, cycling from the Dead Sea - the lowest point on Earth - before ascending Everest. Also among the team was her husband Phil, making them the first married couple to climb Everest.
The second is the story of how two members of the Loch Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, Martin McCallum and Ian Dawson, climbed the Denali in Alaska - the highest mountain in America at 20,320ft.

No Changes to Cairngorm Boundaries

Just a quick update to recent posts on proposals to extend the boundaries of the Cairngorm National Park. According to The Herald, the Scottish Executive has no plans to make any changes for the time being. Ministers say a planned 5 year review due next year will be the appropriate time to assess this issue.

Valentines Day Quiz for Hillwalkers

Today is, of course, Valentines Day and keen hillwalkers of both sexes may well be interested in taking part in a fun quiz that appears on the Outdoors Magic website. In my humble experience hillwalking and relationships have always been somewhat awkward bedfellows. The perfect couple who love to get out onto the hills together, who climb at roughly the same pace and who have equal tolerance of bad weather is not a common occurance. The quiz captures some of the tensions that hillwalking brings to relationships and is a nice bit of fun if you've nothing better to do on Valentines Day!

Tayside Walks for Kids

Yesterday's post about my walk to The Whangie mentioned that it was a great walk for young kids. I've since received an e-mail from a website based in Dundee called dundee4bairns. There's an extensive section in it with information and suggestions on suitable walks for kids in the Tayside area. It's a good site and looks a really useful resource if you're in that area.

Hillwalkers For Pylons

I blogged yesterday about the amount of environmental issues that seem to impact on hillwalkers in Scotland. Instinctively most of us are against anything that damages the landscape we love and proposals for giant pylons seem to be universally condemned by hillwalkers and groups such as The Ramblers Association.

So I thought readers may be interested in looking at an article today by The Herald's political commentator, Iain MacWhirter. In it he suggests groups such as The Ramblers have 'to get real'. His argument - we must do something to prevent global warming by increasing the amount of renewable energy generated, If we don't, the environmental damage to the landscape will be far greater than the damage done by building bigger pylons along an existing route. It's a very thought provoking piece and warns of the consequences for the Highlands that a lack of winter will bring.

Incidently, I know Iain well and he's a very keen hillwalker who knows and respects Scotland's mountains - these are not the ramblings of someone without an understanding of our mountains.

The Whangie

At long last some crisp, clear bright winter weather. It was too tempting to resist, so yesterday I downed tools and decided to go for a walk. I didn't have a lot of time to spare so I headed for The Whangie and Auchineden Hill. This is an old favourite of mine and is only about 10 minutes drive away from Bearsden in the north of Glasgow.

Parking at the Queens View just off the main road to Drymen the short walk to the Whangie and then up to Auchineden Hill gives superb views of the Campsies, Loch Lomond and the Southern Highlands. And of course, the chance to explore the bizarre rock formations of the Whangie itself.

I've written about this walk before as it's particularly suitable and interesting for children. Being on my own yesterday I had more of a chance to explore and also to take some video which I hope to post shortly.The Whangie is easily accessed from the car park along a path skirting under Auchineden Hill. It's a long cleft of rock that was split by a glacier at the side of the hill creating a pretty spectacular effect. Its got lots of easy scrambling opportunities and has great views up to Loch Lomond.

The other explanation for the rock formation is that it was created by a swish of the devils tail! Apparantly he had been meeting with some witches and warlocks and when he departed to another meeting in Dumbarton, his tail whisked the side of Auchineden hill shearing the rock.

It was a great walk and well worth doing.

Environmental Issues for Hillwalkers

There are times when I feel more like an environmental blogger than a hillwalking blogger. There's lots in the news at the moment about two key issues that impact on the Highlands and on walkers(as well as others).
Yesterday in Blair Atholl, MSP's took evidence regarding the boundaries of the Cairngorm National Park which, when established, followed political boundaries rather than geographical. The outcome being that several centres of population are not part of the park nor are sensitive areas of the environment including several mountains cut in half by the boundary. As with many of these things there is a difference of opinion between those who fear the economic restrictions and loss of control that park membership will bring and those that want to see the Park have a geographic and environmental integrity. The Herald has a good piece on the debate and also an editorial comment.
Meanwhile The Scotsman looks at the public enquiry opening today about a proposal to build giant power lines from Beauly, in the Highlands, to Denny, Stirlingshire. Cutting right through some very scenic parts of the Highlands they will carry large quantities of renewable energy generated in the Highlands to the southern centres of population. While most support the need for more renewable energy there are real fears that considerable damage will be done to the Highland landscape and that it is more appropriate to build renewable power sources nearer to population centres. As well as previewing the inquiry, the Scotsman carries an opinion piece for the development by Prof James Curran, a former head of environmental strategy at the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and an anti column by Helen McDade, a policy officer at the John Muir Trust. Have a look at what is an important enquiry for those who love Scotland's mountains.